Stitches in Time
by ilovetvalot
Summary: Will JJ learn the secret he's been desperately trying to hide? THREESHOT
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note: Hello, wonderful readers. At any rate, we have just a few announcements for everyone today.**_

_**IMPORTANT: TIME IS RUNNING OUT!**_

_**WE HAVE 11 DAYS LEFT TO VOTE! LET'S ALL GET MOTIVATED!**_

_**First, please remember to try and spare a few moments over the upcoming three weeks and VOTE for your favorite authors and stories in the "Profiler's Choice Awards" at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. You have through the end of November 30, 2010 to let your vote be heard and we want to hear from each one of you. If you don't know much about forums, links can be found through either my profile (ilovetvalot) or my awesome co-author (tonnie2001969). Remember, anyone that wants to help advertise the awards has our unending gratitude and there is also a short blurb you can use on our profile pages.**_

_**Thank you to everyone taking the time to vote and advertise for us. We appreciate each and every one of you. The responses are starting to roll in and we have a tight race running in several categories. Let your opinion be heard. It is not necessary to vote in EVERY category. If you only read certain pairings, feel free to only vote in those areas. The important thing is to vote.**_

_**Free one-shots to the next five people to cast their votes...any pairing and three prompts of your choosing (I'll use two!). Let's all get on the ball and have some fun!**_

_**Second, we also have great new interviews with several of our nominees. Today, we are "getting to know" specerfan109. More interviews are coming soon!**_

_**And we just want to take an extra moment to let our readers know how much we enjoy hearing from them, so please, take a second and shoot us a private message or review. We'd love to hear from you!**_

* * *

**Stitches in Time**

**Chapter One**

Cursing as his awkward fingers missed another stitch, Dave Rossi's jaw tightened as he focused on the yarn gripped tightly in his left hand. How the hell had his nonna done this for years and not gone insane? Better yet, how had she appeared to enjoy it?

Shaking his head ruefully as he concentrated on making his right hand move to loop the string around the skinny needle, and missing again, he could see why the physical therapist had recommended this activity. It was certainly giving his coordination the workout it needed...and proving to him in the process that he might just never be able to recover the entire usage of his fingers.

But he only needed his trigger finger to work, right? Grimly, he tightened his lips, focusing intently to make his fingers pull off the intricate maneuver he needed.

He had to do this. It was imperative that he accomplish these stitches. Just visualize it, Dave, he coached himself as he stared down at the yarn in his hand. Make the stitch. He tried to channel his grandmother, to find just the right rhythm that she had possessed.

But it didn't work.

Cursing as the right hand holding the needle missed again, he threw down the yarn and metal needle violently. Breathing deeply, he dropped his head back against the recliner and closed his eyes. To say he was frustrated would have been an understatement.

He had passed frustrated a full hour ago.

Fucking pissed was more like it now.

How the hell had one damned mini-stroke managed to alter his abilities to such an extent? One tiny blood vessel popping in his brain had wreaked chaos and destruction in his life in ways he had yet to understand.

And because of his stubborn pride, he was determined to handle it. Alone.

At least that's the way he hoped he could keep it. Looking down at Mudgie, stretched out at his feet, he pointed sternly at the resting dog. "Not a word this afternoon, Mudge."

He chose to take the dog's answering whimper as agreement to his plan. There was no way in hell he wanted his afternoon guest to get wind of his current challenge. He had worked entirely too hard to maintain a façade, and he intended to keep his cover story intact.

Jennifer Jareau was a lot of things. Talented. Capable. Beautiful. But, when she felt like one of her team was suffering, she could also be a bigger blabbermouth than their exuberant technical analyst, Penelope Garcia.

So, he informed himself once again, silence would indeed be golden in this very moment.

And, as if his thoughts could conjure the woman herself, he heard the crunch of gravel in the driveway outside. Glancing at the clock, he realized that time had drifted away from him. Shoving the yarn and needle in the basket at his feet, he hurriedly kicked it under the couch, mentally cursing her promptness. Evidently, JJ had meant it when she said she needed those case files from the Bennett case signed immediately.

With any luck, he thought, steadying himself against the arm of the couch, he could have her in and out of here in ten minutes, and his current disabilities would remain undiscovered by her and the rest of their team. Sighing heavily as his left leg protested the weight he attempted to put on it, he silently railed against his new weaknesses.

At least his speech was no longer slurred...although, that probably would've been easier to explain away. His penchant for the occasional bottle of good scotch was well known. But instead, now his weak left side threatened to give away the game.

Wincing as he heard the peel of his doorbell, he pointed at Mudgie, now alert, ears perked in interest. "Behave," he ordered sternly, mentally questioning himself about his desire to involve his dog in his schemes.

Answering the door a moment later, Dave's eyes narrowed as he greeted an out of sorts JJ. Dressed in a pastel pink suit, not her usual look at all, his brows drew together. "JJ...any particular reason you're masquerading as a cone of cotton candy?" he asked, his lips twitching in amusement.

"Not a word," she grumbled, striding past him into his foyer and smacking his chest with a file. "Strauss has decided that the female media liaisons needed a more feminine presentation, hence the outfit," she said, gesturing down at the tailored suit. "And the color," she muttered, her eyes narrowing in displeasure. "It's bad, isn't it?" she grimaced, looking up at him.

A stroke hadn't influenced his body's ability to indicate interest, and he couldn't resist the wicked grin that formed on his lips. "Well," he drawled, his eyes traveling down her body to the luscious curves accented by the suit's fit, "Cotton candy was always one of my favorite sweet treats."

"I should've known better than to ask you that question," JJ snorted, rolling her eyes at his theatrics. "A month's leave hasn't cooled that libido at all, has it? How's the book coming?"

Ah, his cover story was still intact, he thought with a grim sense of satisfaction. "Oh, it's crawling along," he murmured vaguely, waving his right hand in the air.

Lips pursing at his evasive answer, JJ cocked her head. "So, how much longer do you plan to hide out here in your mansion on the mount? Honestly," she said, looking around at her surroundings, "How you get away with calling this place a cabin, I'll never know."

"Hopefully, not too much longer," Dave answered her first question, wishing he had a concrete answer to give her. At the rate he was going, he wasn't sure he'd ever pass the physical to get back to the Bureau, let alone the firing range requirements. Gesturing toward the formal living room, he murmured, "So you brought me some files that require my signature?"

Now, if he could just get Jennifer Jareau in and out of his home in record time, he would be set.

If only it had been that easy!


	2. Chapter 2

_**IMPORTANT: TIME IS RUNNING OUT!**_

_**WE HAVE 10 DAYS LEFT TO VOTE! LET'S ALL GET MOTIVATED!**_

_**First, please remember to try and spare a few moments over the upcoming three weeks and VOTE for your favorite authors and stories in the "Profiler's Choice Awards" at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. You have through the end of November 30, 2010 to let your vote be heard and we want to hear from each one of you. If you don't know much about forums, links can be found through either my profile (ilovetvalot) or my awesome co-author (tonnie2001969). Remember, anyone that wants to help advertise the awards has our unending gratitude and there is also a short blurb you can use on our profile pages.**_

_**Thank you to everyone taking the time to vote and advertise for us. We appreciate each and every one of you. The responses are starting to roll in and we have a tight race running in several categories. Let your opinion be heard. It is not necessary to vote in EVERY category. If you only read certain pairings, feel free to only vote in those areas. The important thing is to vote.**_

_**Free one-shots to the next five people to cast their votes...any pairing and three prompts of your choosing (I'll use two!). Let's all get on the ball and have some fun!**_

_**Second, we also have great new interviews with several of our nominees. Today, we are "getting to know" specerfan109. More interviews are coming soon!**_

_**And we just want to take an extra moment to let our readers know how much we enjoy hearing from them, so please, take a second and shoot us a private message or review. We'd love to hear from you!**_

* * *

**Stitches in Time**

**Chapter Two**

"I did," she said, holding a handful of folders up as she followed him into the elegant room. Why the hell was he dragging her in here, she asked herself in confusion. Based on her previous excursions to his home, he'd never invited guests in here. He'd always considered it a waste of space.

"Well, let's get to it," he said, holding his right hand out for the documents. "I know you've got better things to do with your day than waste it out here with me."

Frowning as he took the folders from her hands, JJ stared at Dave's averted face. Was he trying to get rid of her? The man that had spent more time than was decent leering at her over the past two years? He'd suddenly decided that her company, however brief, was distasteful? Something didn't feel right here. Dave had never been anything other than a warm, welcoming host before.

Turning as she heard a movement behind her, she smiled as Dave's dog, Mudgie, scampered toward her. "Hey, Boy!" she said, holding out her hand to the obviously happy dog. "Whatcha got there?" she asked as she noticed the soft yellow yarn in the dog's mouth.

Glancing toward supposed best friend, Dave cringed as he saw the "present" he'd brought JJ. Damn it!

Taking the offering in Mudgie's mouth, JJ raised an eyebrow as she took the half done baby bonnet from the dog's mouth. Dangling the drool laden garment from her fingertips, she eyed Dave as she asked, her voice deliberately even, "Any particular reason that Mudgie appears to have taken up crochet, Dave? And why baby bonnets?"

"I...uhhhh...uhmmm," Dave hedged, glaring at his dog as he tried to formulate a half-way plausible response.

"Yes?" JJ drawled, narrowing her eyes as she stared at the uncharacteristically nervous man in front of her. Was he blushing? She seriously needed a camera to preserve this moment as Rossi continued to stutter. Nobody would ever believe David Rossi could turn that shade of red.

"Dave," JJ asked again, her voice dulcetly patient, the small garment held between her thumb and forefinger. "Are you a closet crocheter?"

"Not by choice," Dave muttered under his breath as he quickly scrawled his signature against the form requiring it. Shit! The biggest secret he'd ever had, and his dog blabbed it. Flipping the folder's closed, he handed them to her with a flourish. "Here ya go," he smiled, his lips pulled tightly in what he hoped was professional and reassuring. "Signed, sealed, and delivered." Perhaps avoiding her question would convey his point.

He should have known better.

"Ignoring this," JJ said, jiggling the yarn creation between her fingertips once again, "will not make it go away. You haven't holed yourself up out here in the boonies because you're producing the newest medical marvel, have you?" she asked with a pointed look at his flat stomach.

"Very funny," he mumbled, snatching the baby hat out of her fingers with his good hand before she could once again wag it in his direction.

"What's going on, Rossi?" JJ asked, following Dave as he stomped out of the living room, his footsteps abnormally heavy against the floor. "When did you take up crocheting?" she asked, pursuing him through the house toward the family room at the far end of the hallway.

Walking into the room behind him, she noted the overturned wicker basket on the floor, a kaleidoscope of colorful, tangled yarn at his feet. "Damn it, Mudge," she heard him bark at the dog as he bent to retrieve the spilled items, throwing them back into the basket haphazardly. Joining him on the other side of the couch, she bent to pick up another discarded baby hat; this one in a pale pink that perfectly matched her suit.

"I'm still here, Dave," JJ said above his not-so-quiet grumbles and curses, barely resisting the urge to start tapping her heeled-foot against the planked floor.

Sighing, Dave rose to his feet and looked at her over his shoulder. "You couldn't have just forged my name like you usually do, could you?" he asked sarcastically.

No, she couldn't. Because she'd missed him and wanted to see him. Because something had told her that someone needed to check on the unusually quiet agent cum author. "Forging you signature on a court document would have been a federal offense," she shrugged, the excuse easily slipping off her tongue. "Besides, nobody had seen hide nor hair of you in over a month. And now I want to know why," she stated, drawing back her shoulders and facing the uncomfortable man determinedly. "You didn't come out here to write a book, did you?"

"No."

Nodding once at his taciturn response, she raised an eyebrow. "And I'm assuming there are no tiny humans on the premises," she prodded, her eyes boring into his.

"There aren't."

"You know," JJ said casually, taking a seat on his sofa and crossing her legs as she watched his shoulders seem to drop a few more inches, "I can sit here and play twenty questions all day. Or you could just tell me what's going on. Your choice."

Dammit, dammit, DAMMIT! Eyeing the woman on his couch, Dave knew she was fully prepared to wait him out. Running an irritated hand through his hair, he huffed out an angry breath. "Can you keep a secret?" he asked gruffly, ignoring the stern voice in his mind that was demanding that he shut up while he was ahead.

"When I have a good incentive," JJ replied ambiguously, smoothing her skirt against her thighs as she reached out to pat Mudgie's head.

"Damn it, Jen," Rossi growled, annoyed.

"Yes?" JJ said with a serene smile as Mudgie growled at his master, obviously siding with JJ in this little tete-a-tete.

"You're infuriating," he retorted, sitting heavily in his recliner and glaring at her as he shoved a pillow behind his back.

"So I've been told," JJ grinned cheekily, shifting on the sofa so that she faced him. "Doesn't change anything though. I'm still not leaving."


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: My co-author and I would like to announce that our core stories (Sunday and Monday weekly publications) will be on hiatus for the weekend after Thanksgiving (an American Holiday on November 25, 2010). Due to familial obligations, we do believe there will be a week break on those ongoing stories. We will continue to publish one-shots and shorter stories through the holiday week.**

**Also, we're drawing near the close of our first annual Criminal Minds Profiler's Choice Awards. WE CURRENTLY HAVE EIGHT DAYS LEFT TO VOTE FOR OUR FAVORITE AUTHORS AND STORIES. Please remember to try and spare a few moments over the upcoming days and VOTE for your favorite authors and stories in the "Profiler's Choice Awards" at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. You have through the end of November 30, 2010 to let your voice and vote be heard, and we want to hear from each one of you. If you don't know much about forums, links can be found through either my profile (ilovetvalot) or my awesome co-author (tonnie2001969). Remember, anyone that wants to help advertise the awards has our unending gratitude, and there is also a short blurb you can use on our profile pages.**

**We also want to take a moment and remind all those participants that have signed up for the Criminal Minds Christmas Fic Gift Exchange that we have just over a month to complete our gifts and publish them for our recipients. If anyone has any questions, please contact us via private message.**

**And finally, we'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their continued support of our stories. We truly appreciate each review, favorite, alert and private message. It means a lot to us. Please let us continue to hear from each of you!**

* * *

**Stitches in Time**

**Chapter Three**

Sitting silently for a few moments, Dave stared at the woman currently taking root on his couch, and after thoughtful determination came to the conclusion that the truth might be the only thing that set him free. "I had a stroke," he confided, his words heavy but even. "A mini-stroke...but still..."

Eyes rounding at his confession, JJ paled suddenly, completely shocked and dismayed. "Wh-what did you say?" she asked, her voice deceptively soft.

"You aren't deaf, Jen," Dave grunted as a throw pillow was hurled in his direction.

"You had a stroke? And you didn't tell any of us?" she asked, her pale features contorting with righteous fury as she watched him try to shift in the chair.

"There was no reason to worry anybody," he shrugged, dodging another soft missile as she lobbed it at him. "The doctors all assured me that I'd recover just fine...it's just going more slowly than I anticipated," he remarked, frowning down at the half-finished crocheted baby cap on top of the basket, his earlier failed efforts coming back to haunt him.

"When?" JJ bit out, the one word fired with the accuracy of a revolver.

"When what?" he asked innocently, wincing as her voice rose another octave, the small room providing a perfect echo chamber for her yells.

"When did you have the stroke?" JJ nearly shrieked, her hands balling angrily in her lap.

"Mini-stroke," Dave corrected automatically, barely resisting the urge to press his hands to his ears. It wouldn't do any good, he told himself. She would just find another way to get her point across.

"Semantics!" JJ snapped, rising to pace the room furiously, her footsteps staccato sharp against his polished wood floors.

"I got sick the day before I called Hotch and told him I needed the sabbatical. I honestly had thought it was just a bad headache, JJ," he added quickly when she turned her mutinous face toward him, her mouth opened in what was certain to be a ringing retort. "But, the docs said it was more than that. By the time I'd dragged my ass to the hospital, it had affected my left side," he shrugged, holding up a hand to forestall her next salvo. "But I'm much better now...you couldn't even notice when you arrived, could you?"

That much was true, JJ thought grimly. She hadn't noticed in apparent changes in him. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to think rationally about his situation, knowing that she could allow her emotions free reign for only so long. "So, what's with the crocheting?" she said tightly, nodding at the basket resting beside him.

"It's an exercise that my physical therapist recommended," Dave shrugged, trying to kick at the basket again…as if he could hide the evidence. "She thinks it'll help improve my coordination. I'm still having some difficulty with my fine motor skills," he admitted sheepishly, feeling the blush stain his cheeks again. "And since she only knew how to make one thing...baby hats," he said, nodding at the basket, "that's what I do. When I get a whole bunch done, she takes them to the NICU at Washington Memorial."

Face softening as he related his explanation, she shook her head, her breath coming out in a steady gust. "You should have told me...us," she said quietly, her fingers clenching the edge of her suit jacket, her earlier worry and anger fading as they were replaced with concern.

"I don't want pity, JJ. I just want to get better," Dave informed her with as much dignity as he could, his shoulders straightening. "If the wrong people found out about this, my career could be over. I don't want to be perceived as weak. That's why it's very important that you keep this between us."

"I'll keep your secret, Dave," JJ replied softly, perching on the arm of the couch, her ankles resting a few inches from the edge of his recliner. "On one condition," she added pointedly.

Crap...conditional acceptance. His favorite kind, he thought bitterly. "Name your terms," Dave growled, glowering at her.

"There are actually two," JJ informed him gravely, nodding her head. Raising one finger, she spat, "You are NEVER, EVER to hide something like this from me. Friends rely on each other...going through this alone...when you had people that cared about you to help you...that was stupid."

"Agreed," Dave said grudgingly. He had to admit that he was touched that she cared enough about him to make that a condition. It was humbling...and that was not something he was accustomed to feeling.

Unaware of his silent musings, JJ went on. "And second," she said, moving toward him to perch on the arm of his recliner, "you let me come over a few nights a week and show you some other stitches. Baby hats are fine, but a nice afghan would be easier for you...and more useful to the babies at the hospital."

"JJ, I appreciate the offer, but you don't have to..." Dave began, not wanting her to feel obligated to him, even though his mind immediately informed him that such an arrangement would provide him with more time to spend with the beautiful blonde.

"It's not negotiable," JJ smiled, glancing down at him as she fingered the edge of the nearby baby bonnet. "Unless you want to be descended upon by our entire team, that is."

"You're tough," Rossi replied, smiling despite himself, leaning back in his recliner as he stared up at her.

"As nails," JJ agreed, her voice implacable as she swatted his shoulder with the bonnet. "But that's beside the point. Do we have a deal?" she asked sternly.

Looking at her resolute face staring back at him, Dave sighed. There were certainly worse ways he could waste his time than spending it in the company of a beautiful woman...especially this one. Nodding once, he assented. "I'm in."

"Somehow I thought you'd see things my way," JJ grinned, shifting her weight against the armchair. "Now, grab that hook," she said, pointing at the basket as she reached for a ball of yarn. "We've got some work to do."

And with those words, Jennifer Jareau and David Rossi embarked on a very unique relationship that was destined to stitch their lives together for years to come.

_**Finis**_


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